Buying a camera is often a confusing process thanks to the ever-changing availability of starter packs, hard kits, and bag bundles. And this says nothing about the many different camera lenses available for the device. Because of this, Amazon is the best choice to purchase the Nikon D3400 and any of its accessories. At the minimum, it’s the place to go to at least see the type of different packages that are currently available for the well-received camera and then see if there’s a lower price elsewhere online or in real life.

Why the D3400?

The Nikon D3400, which launched in 2016, has been marketed as an entry-level DSLR camera for beginners and experienced DSLR hobbyists alike. It offers Nikon SnapBridge support…

Best answer: Purely for its large selection of bundles and occasional sales, Amazon is the place to buy your new Nikon D3400 DSLR. It's also the place to purchase its successor, the D3500.

Large selection ... always

Buying a camera is often a confusing process thanks to the ever-changing availability of starter packs, hard kits, and bag bundles. And this says nothing about the many different camera lenses available for the device. Because of this, Amazon is the best choice to purchase the Nikon D3400 and any of its accessories. At the minimum, it's the place to go to at least see the type of different packages that are currently available for the well-received camera and then see if there's a lower price elsewhere online or in real life.

Why the D3400?

The Nikon D3400, which launched in 2016, has been marketed as an entry-level DSLR camera for beginners and experienced DSLR hobbyists alike. It offers Nikon SnapBridge support via Bluetooth Low Energy for easy sharing and maximum ISO of 25600. The camera's compact and comfortable design makes it a great choice for capturing travel and special events, plus everyday moments. Add different lenses and lights as your needs change.

Familiar price

The D3400 is around $400, which is what Nikon usually charges for its entry-level DSLR. This is the price point, for example, Nikon selected for the D3300 and newer D3500.

What about the D3500?

The Nikon D3500, which launched in 2018, is essentially the same as the older model, except for some noticeable design changes. The newer model, for example, is slightly smaller than its predecessor. It's also 45g lighter. The location of certain buttons on the newer device was also changed. The D3500 is also noted for having a battery rating of 1500 shots, which is 350 more than the D3400.

You can't go wrong with either choice, although it should be noted you'll probably find the D3400 on sale much more often than the newer model.

Also consider

Nikon D5400

If you're the type of person that needs the latest technology, there's nothing wrong with selecting the Nikon D3500. A little bit smaller than the old model, the D3500 also has a significant presence on Amazon. Shop accordingly.

Best answer: Thanks to AirPlay, you can mirror your Mac mini’s display on your Apple TV. You can do this with any Mac. If you’d like to do the mirroring with a cable, skip the Apple TV and use just a television.

Amazon: Mac mini ($800+)
Amazon: Apple TV ($179+)
Let’s mirror this

You can mirror your Mac mini’s display on your Apple TV. In doing so, whatever you’re doing on your computer will appear on your connected television. You can connect wirelessly using AirPlay.

To use AirPlay on both your Apple TV and Mac mini, make sure you’re using the latest version of tvOS and macOS, respectively.

About AirPlay

With AirPlay, you can stream video and mirror your display from iPhone, iPad, or Mac to Apple TV. The technology also lets you stream audio to Apple TV and any compatible speakers. The AirPlay technology is ideally suited for entertainment, education, and enterprise use.

What about connecting the two through cables?

You don’t need to do this. The only purpose for connecting a…

Best answer: Thanks to AirPlay, you can mirror your Mac mini's display on your Apple TV. You can do this with any Mac. If you'd like to do the mirroring with a cable, skip the Apple TV and use just a television.

Let's mirror this

You can mirror your Mac mini's display on your Apple TV. In doing so, whatever you're doing on your computer will appear on your connected television. You can connect wirelessly using AirPlay.

To use AirPlay on both your Apple TV and Mac mini, make sure you're using the latest version of tvOS and macOS, respectively.

About AirPlay

With AirPlay, you can stream video and mirror your display from iPhone, iPad, or Mac to Apple TV. The technology also lets you stream audio to Apple TV and any compatible speakers. The AirPlay technology is ideally suited for entertainment, education, and enterprise use.

What about connecting the two through cables?

You don't need to do this. The only purpose for connecting an Apple TV to a Mac is to mirror the computer. When using a cable (not AirPlay), connect to an actual television and eliminate Apple TV from the equation.

If you have an HDTV and a Mac with a Thunderbolt port, Mini DisplayPort, or HDMI port, you should be fine. The 2018 Mac mini supports all three of these through the use of one of its Thunderbolt 3 or USB 3 ports.

Your gear

Mac mini

The 2018 Mac mini provides plenty of ports for connecting various accessories, not just displays, such as printers and additional hard drives. With Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 wireless technology, the number of peripherals you can use with your computer increases significantly. These could include a wireless keyboard, a mouse, a set of headphones, and much more.

You’ve bought a new Apple Mac mini and now it’s time to find some accessories for it. You’ve come to the right place. Here’s our list of the most beneficial gadgets you can buy for your new computer.

Pump it up

Blackmagic eGPU Pro

With the Blackmagic, your Mac mini gains workstation-class graphics performance. Plug it into one of your Mac mini’s Thunderbolt 3 ports and get ready to be amazed. The eGPU has 8GB of HBM2 memory, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, four USB 3 ports, an HDMI 2.0 port, and a DisplayPort 1.4 port, allowing for 85W of power to charge your MacBook Pro at the same time.

$1200 at Apple

Gray mouse

Magic Mouse 2

Beautifully designed yet practical, the Magic Mouse 2 is available in silver or space gray. Completely rechargeable, the mouse includes a Multi-Touch surface to make work and play much more fun.

$100 at Apple

For more flexibility

Magic Trackpad 2

The Magic Trackpad 2 is rechargeable and brings Force Touch to the desktop for the first time. It feature…

You've bought a new Apple Mac mini and now it's time to find some accessories for it. You've come to the right place. Here's our list of the most beneficial gadgets you can buy for your new computer.

Pump it up

Blackmagic eGPU Pro

With the Blackmagic, your Mac mini gains workstation-class graphics performance. Plug it into one of your Mac mini's Thunderbolt 3 ports and get ready to be amazed. The eGPU has 8GB of HBM2 memory, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, four USB 3 ports, an HDMI 2.0 port, and a DisplayPort 1.4 port, allowing for 85W of power to charge your MacBook Pro at the same time.

For more flexibility

Magic Trackpad 2

The Magic Trackpad 2 is rechargeable and brings Force Touch to the desktop for the first time. It features an edge-to-edge glass surface area that is nearly 30 percent larger than the previous trackpad. Like the Magic Mouse 2, it's available in space gray for the first time, as well as silver.

Perfect together

Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad

Offering an extended layout, the Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad includes document navigation controls for quick scrolling and full-size arrow keys for gaming. With a scissor mechanism beneath each key, the keyboard has a rechargeable battery that should last for a month or more between charges.

Mac mini style for your ears

Beats Studio3 Wireless Headphones

Offered in various colors and styles, the Beats Studio3 Wireless offers 12 hours of enjoyment between charges. Use Fast Fuel to add an additional hour of playback in just five minutes. Sweat and water resistant.

Unique and fun

HP Tango X Printer

Designed for both computer and smartphone use, the HP Tango offers voice-activated, hands-free printing. Print documents and photos from the cloud and social media with ease. When it's time to move to another location, pack it up in seconds.

Here’s what’s new in the latest version of watchOS, as well as other important information about the watchOS update process:

What’s new in watchOS 5
Should you upgrade to watchOS 5?
Which Apple Watches are compatible with watchOS 5?
How to prepare your Apple Watch
How to back up your Apple Watch
How to download and install watchOS 5
How to update from a watchOS 5 beta to the official release
How to troubleshoot common watchOS 5 install problems
What’s new in watchOS 5

WatchOS 5 brings terrific new features and improvements to Apple Watch, including activity challenges, automatic workout tracking, walkie-talkie, and more.

Here’s a quick breakdown of everything that’s new and changed in the latest release.

What’s new in watchOS5

Should you upgrade to watchOS 5?

The latest Apple Watch software update is here. But how do you know if you should download and install it right now, or hold off?

Here are so…

Move your Apple Watch to the latest version of watchOS — here's how!

Here's what's new in the latest version of watchOS, as well as other important information about the watchOS update process:

Which Apple Watches are compatible with watchOS 5?

You've got an Apple Watch, and you're wondering whether your Apple Watch will be able to download the latest update. You want to be able to use all of the new features, including improvements to activity and health monitoring, the new Siri face, and more.

The short answer is probably. Your Apple Watch will most likely run watchOS 5.

How to troubleshoot common watchOS 5 install problems

Whether you're updating to the latest version of watchOS or considering a beta install, it's always good to have troubleshooting steps on hand just in case things get out of hand. While everything should — and usually does — go smoothly, once in a while, these simply don't update or install the way you'd expect. Sometimes it's a connection issue. Sometimes it's a verification error. Sometimes it won't reboot. And other times it just... does nothing.

Questions about updating?

Best answer: The 2018 Mac mini offers four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) and two USB 3 ports, which should be enough to attach all of your favorite accessories. You can also get a monitor and a hard drive for a near-complete desktop experience.

For the first time since 2014, Apple has introduced a new Mac mini. The 2018 Mac mini comes with quad- and 6-core processors, up to 64GB in memory, and all-flash storage. It ships with 128GB or 256GB SSD.

The four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports support external devices using DisplayPort, Thunderbolt (up to 40 Gbps), and USB 3.1 Gen 2 (up to 10 Gbps). Thunderbolt 2, HDMI, DVI, and VGA are also supported using adapters. It also has a 3.5 mm headphone jack, and an Ethernet port.

Plenty of room for accessories

The 2018 Mac mini provides plenty of ports for connecting accessories such as printers, displays, an…

Best answer: The 2018 Mac mini offers four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) and two USB 3 ports, which should be enough to attach all of your favorite accessories. You can also get a monitor and a hard drive for a near-complete desktop experience.

Finally, an update

For the first time since 2014, Apple has introduced a new Mac mini. The 2018 Mac mini comes with quad- and 6-core processors, up to 64GB in memory, and all-flash storage. It ships with 128GB or 256GB SSD.

The four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports support external devices using DisplayPort, Thunderbolt (up to 40 Gbps), and USB 3.1 Gen 2 (up to 10 Gbps). Thunderbolt 2, HDMI, DVI, and VGA are also supported using adapters. It also has a 3.5 mm headphone jack, and an Ethernet port.

Plenty of room for accessories

The 2018 Mac mini provides plenty of ports for connecting accessories such as printers, displays, and additional hard drives. With Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 wireless technology, the number of peripherals you can use with your computer increases significantly. These could include a wireless keyboard, a mouse, a set of headphones, and much more.

Are you looking for more? The 2018 Mac mini allows you to connect up to two 4K displays (or three with HDMI 2.0) at the same time or one 5K display (we recommend the LG UltraFine 5K Display. You can also pair your Mac mini with an eGPU for desktop-class graphics performance.

Complete the package with an external hard drive, even though you can get the Mac mini with up to 2TB of storage. We recommend this LaCie d2 hard drive that lets you add up to a whopping 10TB of storage.

Small enough to fit nearly anywhere

Despite a nice supply of ports, the newest Mac mini remains relatively tiny. It measures just 1.4 by 7.7 by 7.7 inches and weighs only 2.9 pounds. It's perfect for the user who has limited space, wants the ability to bring it anywhere, or just wants a cheaper Apple desktop.

Get it

Mac mini

If you're looking for a Mac solution where you get to pick the monitor, keyboard, and other accessories, this is the one to get. With multiple ports, including those for Thunderbolt and USB 3, the 2018 Mac mini is perhaps the most flexible version to date.

It’s sometimes necessary to mute your Apple Watch for either circumstance or peace of mind.

Whether you’re in the middle of a romantic dinner or need some quiet time, it’s occasionally wise to mute your Apple Watch using Silent Mode. Doing so is a simple enough process as you can see here.

Here are a few essential points to keep in mind:

On Apple Watch, Silent Mode and Do Not Disturb aren’t the same thing. With the former, only the sound is silenced, which means haptics will still tap you as needed.
Also, Silent Mode does not silent alarms or timers on Apple Watch.
You can also take your hand and cover the front of your watch to stop a sound. Be sure Cover to Mute is enabled in the Watch app for iPhone on the My Watch tab under Sound & Haptics.
How to use Silent Mode on your Apple Watch

To silent your wearable device:

Push the Digital Crown to make sure you’re on an Apple Watch face.
Swipe up with your finger to reveal the Control Center.
Scroll down and tap the Silent b…

It's sometimes necessary to mute your Apple Watch for either circumstance or peace of mind.

Whether you're in the middle of a romantic dinner or need some quiet time, it's occasionally wise to mute your Apple Watch using Silent Mode. Doing so is a simple enough process as you can see here.

Here are a few essential points to keep in mind:

On Apple Watch, Silent Mode and Do Not Disturb aren't the same thing. With the former, only the sound is silenced, which means haptics will still tap you as needed.

Also, Silent Mode does not silent alarms or timers on Apple Watch.

You can also take your hand and cover the front of your watch to stop a sound. Be sure Cover to Mute is enabled in the Watch app for iPhone on the My Watch tab under Sound & Haptics.

How to use Silent Mode on your Apple Watch

To silent your wearable device:

Push the Digital Crown to make sure you're on an Apple Watch face.

Swipe up with your finger to reveal the Control Center.

Scroll down and tap the Silent button, which features a bell icon.

You can also mute your Apple Watch from the Watch app on iPhone:

In the Watch app on the My Watch tab, tap Sound & Haptics.

At the top of the screen, enable Silent Mode.

Reverse the steps above to turn off Apple Watch muting.

Other muting solutions for Apple Watch

Silent Mode isn't the only option on Apple Watch that turns sounds off. There's also Theater Mode, which is nearly identical to Silent Mode except that the Apple Watch display won't turn on with a glance, and Do Not Disturb, which turns off sounds and taps on the wearable device.

Any Questions?

Let us know if you have any questions about the Apple Watch's Silent mode.

An all-in-one imaging solution from Skylum Software arrives later this month for Mac and Windows.

iMore
Score
4

Luminar 3 is an image editor, and photo library rolled into one. It’s ideally suited for amateurs and professionals photographers alike. At the heart of Luminar 3 is the new Library panel which adds the ability to organize and edit multiple images simultaneously. In other words, it’s the software’s digital asset management system. Highly customizable, the Luminar 3 library works with existing folders that reside on your hard drive, connected devices, and synced cloud storage. The panels, which look a lot like Lightroom’s preview and catalog features, are easy to use, and perhaps more importantly, quick to learn. It’s available starting December 18, but you can preorder it right now for $10 off at $59.99.

See a…

An all-in-one imaging solution from Skylum Software arrives later this month for Mac and Windows.

iMore

Score

4

Luminar 3 is an image editor, and photo library rolled into one. It's ideally suited for amateurs and professionals photographers alike. At the heart of Luminar 3 is the new Library panel which adds the ability to organize and edit multiple images simultaneously. In other words, it's the software's digital asset management system. Highly customizable, the Luminar 3 library works with existing folders that reside on your hard drive, connected devices, and synced cloud storage. The panels, which look a lot like Lightroom's preview and catalog features, are easy to use, and perhaps more importantly, quick to learn. It's available starting December 18, but you can preorder it right now for $10 off at $59.99.

There's much to love about Luminar 3, which I discovered after a few days of use, including the following points that stood out the most.

What is Luminar 3?

Skylum makes installation of Luminar 3 a simple, fun, and practical experience. Throughout setup, you can add real folders from your hard drive and also remotely. All edits are kept in a separate catalog, so you don't have to worry about losing original content. You can also decide whether to copy or move data. When you select the latter, changes made in Luminar 3 (include file names and locations) are reflected elsewhere on your computer.

After the completion of the installation, Luminar 3 provides various views and ways to tweak and find images. In Luminar 3, for example, content is viewable in a single image view, gallery review, or filmstrip view. You can rate pictures using stars (one through five) and mark them with color labels. Both tools make it easier to search for your favorite photos.

The library side panel is where you further refine image organization. It's from this location where when you can establish shortcuts, albums, and folders for automatic and manual grouping. You can quickly access your library through shortcuts including favorites, recently added, recently edited, and more.

With albums, you can separate images into different groups without making actual changes on your hard drive. For those types of changes, stick with folders, which match those of your hard drive. Yes, you heard that correctly, Luminar 3 mirrors your computer, which means adjustments made in macOS Finder or Windows Explorer are also reflected in Luminar 3, and vice versa. These include name changes, file movements, and similar changes.

The side panel is where you'll also find the histogram button, layers, filters, and much more. It's from here where you'll also discover Luminar 3's Quick & Awesome feature (yes, that's the name), which allows you to change color and contrast on an image (or group of pictures) on the fly.

Luminar 3 has been designed for speed and efficiency "responding to long-standing complaints by photographers that existing library options were cumbersome, cluttered, or impractical."

If you're looking for more, there are 51 filters baked into Luminar 3, and you can add many more (free and premium) through the online Luminar Marketplace. You also shouldn't discount the software's intelligent filters like Accent AI, which have been designed to help you make a great-looking image by allowing you to change its color, details, tone, and depth, in just seconds.

The Erase tool in Luminar 3 is also impressive. It's for those times when you have the perfect photo except for some background objects. Like other editing tools in Luminar 3, Erase tool edits are tracked so you can return to a previous version quickly. (There is no save button since Luminar 3 stores every change in the catalog for easy retrieval.)

Lastly, I was also impressed with Luminar 3's Sync Adjustment feature. Just make changes to the settings on one photo and sync those adjustments to other images in your library without the need of a preset.

Compatibility

Unless you're entirely new to photography, Luminar 3 won't be your first photo-editing software product, and Skylum understands this. Out of the digital box, the software can be used as a standalone app or as a plug-in to host applications like Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom Classic CC, Photos for macOS, Apple Aperture, and Adobe Photoshop Elements.

What I like

In the run-up to the software's launch, Skylum Software, formerly Macphun, has made it no secret that it hopes to compete with the industry-leading Adobe Lightroom by targeting what many users have long complained about, namely its sometime pokiness and increasingly unmanageable set of tools. With this in mind, Luminar 3 has been designed for speed and efficiency "responding to long-standing complaints by photographers that existing library options were cumbersome, cluttered, or impractical."

This is all true.

I'm impressed with Luminar 3 and can't wait to see where things go from here. The software is simple to use, yet powerful enough for amateurs and professionals alike. Best of all, it doesn't require monthly subscriptions.

What I don't like

Luminar 3 has what I would describe as pesky annoyances that I would expect will be resolved in future software updates. This includes size limitations for both thumbnails and the filmstrip view, plus how the software handles RAW images on import.

On the former, thumbnails are only viewable in small, medium, and large sizes. A manual slider would probably be a better solution here. Similarly, the filmstrip (which resides on the left side of the screen) is too narrow. Again, hopefully, a future software update will improve this and give us the ability to adjust the size.

On the final point, Luminar 3 currently turns on Lens Distortion whenever you begin editing a RAW file. Yes, you can quickly turn this off. However, a better solution is that it's not on in the first place. Wouldn't you agree?

Moving forward

Skylum has big plans for Luminar 3 in the first seven months of 2019. Among the new features expected to arrive is the ability to view RAM and JPG versions as one image, but switch between versions in real time, tools to edit core IPTC information, an Adobe Lightroom migration tool, and more.

Worth your time

4out of 5

Luminar 3 arrives on Dec. 18 for macOS and Windows. You can pre-order it now for $59, which is $10 off its normal price of $69. Existing Luminar users will be able to download the update for free when it becomes available.

Best answer: Smart lighting fixtures continue to grow in popularity and if you’re looking for an outdoor wall lantern that works with your existing Philips Hue lighting system and like the look of the Inara, by all means, buy it. Otherwise, choose from perhaps thousands of other outdoor wall lanterns and create the same setup simply by buying a separate smart bulb such as the popular Philips Hue white A19.

The Inara outdoor lighting fixture by Philips Hue is weatherproof and should provide years of enjoyment (each bulb is rated for 25,000 hours of use and luckily, the fixture ships with one A19 white smart bulb by Philips Hue). If you want colors, buy an A19 bulb that supports both white and color ambiance. Connecting it with a Hue Bridge gives you access to 16 million colors and other features.

Unfortunately, the Inara also has limited appeal. If you don’t li…

Best answer: Smart lighting fixtures continue to grow in popularity and if you're looking for an outdoor wall lantern that works with your existing Philips Hue lighting system and like the look of the Inara, by all means, buy it. Otherwise, choose from perhaps thousands of other outdoor wall lanterns and create the same setup simply by buying a separate smart bulb such as the popular Philips Hue white A19.

Beautifully designed with limited appeal

The Inara outdoor lighting fixture by Philips Hue is weatherproof and should provide years of enjoyment (each bulb is rated for 25,000 hours of use and luckily, the fixture ships with one A19 white smart bulb by Philips Hue). If you want colors, buy an A19 bulb that supports both white and color ambiance. Connecting it with a Hue Bridge gives you access to 16 million colors and other features.

Unfortunately, the Inara also has limited appeal. If you don't like how the Inara looks but are still looking for a smart outdoor lighting solution, you can make one of your own. Just find a fixture that has a protection rating of at least IP44, so you know the bulb and wires are always protected. From there, install the A19 smart bulb in any fixture with an E26 screw base.

About the A19

The white A19 bulb works with or without the separate Hue Bridge — although the Bridge will give you full access to all it has to offer. When part of your existing Philips Hue system in your home, you can use the Hue app to schedule lighting routines whenever you're away or have the lights turn on when you return. Smart bulbs from Philips Hue can also pair with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and Google Assistant, which allows you to control them with just your voice.

Our pick

Philips Hue A19 Bulb

The A19 bulb has been designed to work in any traditional E26 screw base. It offers 25,000 hours of use during its lifetime with a color temperature of 2700K. The light becomes dimmable when used with the Hue Bridge. These type of all-in-one solutions have been designed for easy installation and use. Buy the A19 bulb, find the outdoor lighting you want and enjoy your new purchase.

If you still want it

Inara Outdoor Wall Lantern

If you love the look of the Inara outdoor wall lantern and are in the market for an outdoor smart lighting fixture, go and buy it. Each piece comes with an A19 white bulb. Just know you can use that bulb in a lot of other fixtures as well.

You can spend money in stores just by using your Apple Watch thanks to Apple Pay. Let’s do this.

Forget your iPhone. You can now make purchases using your Apple Watch.

Using Apple Pay on Apple Watch

As long as you have set up and added one or more bank cards, you can make a purchase with Apple Pay from your Apple Watch:

Double-click the side button and hold your Apple Watch within a few centimeters of the contactless reader to use your default bank card.
Push the Digital Crown to go back to your watch face after you feel a gentle tap to confirm your payment.
Double-click the side button on your Apple Watch if you want to use a different card to make a purchase,
Swipe left or right and select the card you’d like to use.
With the new card selected, hold your Apple Watch near the reader to pay.
Push the Digital Crown to go back to your watch face until you feel a gentle tap to confirm your payment.

Questions?

For more information on Apple Watch, be sure to see our ultimate gu…

You can spend money in stores just by using your Apple Watch thanks to Apple Pay. Let's do this.

Forget your iPhone. You can now make purchases using your Apple Watch.

Using Apple Pay on Apple Watch

As long as you have set up and added one or more bank cards, you can make a purchase with Apple Pay from your Apple Watch:

Double-click the side button and hold your Apple Watch within a few centimeters of the contactless reader to use your default bank card.

Push the Digital Crown to go back to your watch face after you feel a gentle tap to confirm your payment.

Double-click the side button on your Apple Watch if you want to use a different card to make a purchase,

Swipe left or right and select the card you'd like to use.

With the new card selected, hold your Apple Watch near the reader to pay.

Push the Digital Crown to go back to your watch face until you feel a gentle tap to confirm your payment.

Questions?

For more information on Apple Watch, be sure to see our ultimate guide about the wearable device. If you have any additional questions, let us know below.

Sometimes, you might want to ditch those notifications on your Apple Watch and be free. Here are the ways to do it.

Many of us have a love-hate relationship with notifications on our Apple Watch. Yes, they allow us to ditch our iPhones and still receive essential messages. Yet, like all notifications, they can quickly take over our world each day if we aren’t careful. Luckily, Apple offers different ways to turn off notifications on Apple Watch.

How to hide notifications on Apple Watch
How to turn off notifications for built-in apps on Apple Watch
How to turn off notifications across Apple Watch and iPhone
How to turn off notifications for third-party apps on your Apple Watch
How to turn notifications off on the fly on Apple Watch
These fall into two categories. You can turn notifications off, so you aren’t interrupted by them on your watch. Under this scenario, the alerts still show up under the Notification Center on your wearable device. You can also make sure notifications are …

Sometimes, you might want to ditch those notifications on your Apple Watch and be free. Here are the ways to do it.

Many of us have a love-hate relationship with notifications on our Apple Watch. Yes, they allow us to ditch our iPhones and still receive essential messages. Yet, like all notifications, they can quickly take over our world each day if we aren't careful. Luckily, Apple offers different ways to turn off notifications on Apple Watch.

These fall into two categories. You can turn notifications off, so you aren't interrupted by them on your watch. Under this scenario, the alerts still show up under the Notification Center on your wearable device. You can also make sure notifications are removed from the Apple Watch altogether. In this case, the alert never arrives on your watch.

How to hide notifications on Apple Watch

By default, Apple Watch notification settings match those found on iPhone. In other words, if you're meant to get a notification on iPhone, you'll get one on your Apple Watch, too. In this case, unless you're actively using your iPhone, you'll see the notifications pop up on your watch. You can hide these notifications so they don't constantly nag at your psyche.

Open the Watch app on your iPhone.

Tap the My Watch tab.

Tap Notifications.

Tap the Notifications Indicator toggle to turn it off.

Tap the Notification Privacy toggle to turn it on.

Without the indicator on, you won't see a red dot on your Apple Watch display which signals you have alerts to view. When Notification Privacy is on, you won't receive alert pop-ups on your watch. You'll still receive notifications on your Apple Watch, you just won't notice them. You can still swipe down from the top of the screen on Apple Watch to see your notifications.

How to turn off notifications for built-in apps on Apple Watch

You can completely turn off notifications for Apple's built-in apps, like Activity, Breath, Mail, Messages, and more. By default, they are set to mirror your iPhone, but you can customize how you receive these notifications, including turning them off.

Open the Watch app on your iPhone.

Tap the My Watch tab.

Tap Notifications.

Tap the built-in app you want to turn off notifications for. These will be the first 16 apps.

Tap Notifications Off for each app you want to turn off notifications.

Some apps take this further and allow you to customize notifications. The Activity and Breathe apps, for example, will enable you to choose from three options, Allow Notifications, Send to Notification Center, and Notifications Off.

Allow Notifications are self-explanatory; when turned on, you'll see notifications from the app.

Send to Notification Center, by contrast, will only show messages when you scroll down using your finger. You'll receive no pop-ups when this setting is on.

When selected, Notifications Off means no notifications for you!

How to turn off notifications across Apple Watch and iPhone

If you don't want to receive any notifications on your iPhone or your Apple Watch, you can shut the whole thing down from the Settings app on your iPhone.

Open the Settings app.

Tap Notifications.

Tap the app you want to change under Notification Style.

Tap the toggle to turn off Allow Notifications at the top of the screen.

Repeat steps two and three for each app to turn off notifications on both Apple Watch and iPhone.

How to turn off notifications for third-party apps on your Apple Watch

Third-party app notifications are mirrored to your Apple Watch from your iPhone. You can turn off notifications for all third-party apps directly on your Apple Watch and still get them on your iPhone.

Open the Watch app on your iPhone.

Tap the My Watch tab.

Tap Notifications.

Tap the toggle to turn off notifications for a specific app.

Repeat steps two through four to turn notifications off for other apps.

How to turn notifications off on the fly on Apple Watch

First introduced in iOS 12 and watchOS 5, Deliver Quietly works on both iOS and watchOS. On Apple Watch, the setting allows you to turn off notification pop-ups for individual apps on the fly, sending those messages to the Notification Center only. Not enough? You can also turn them off completely.

Swipe left on a notification when it appears on your Apple Watch screen.

Tap the More button. It looks like three dots.

Tap Delivery Quietly.

Tap Turn off on Apple Watch to remove notifications for that specific app.

From now on, notifications from that app only will only show on the Apple Watch Notification Center. When you do this, you'll have to turn notifications back on for the individual app by going into Notifications in the Apple Watch iPhone app.

Questions?

We hope this article addressed all of your questions about notifications on Apple Watch. If not, we'd like to hear from you. If you have additional questions, leave us a comment below.